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Of those with hypertension, about 68
percent are aware of their condition--but only 27 percent have it under
control. The reasons for this include not taking drugs as prescribed
and/or not taking a medication that sufficiently lowers blood pressure.
Hypertension can lead to stroke, heart failure, or
kidney damage. To help prevent that, blood pressure must be lowered to
less than 140/90 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). Normal blood pressure
is less than 130/less than 85 mm Hg.
"We advise Americans to talk about their blood
pressure with their doctor," said NHLBI Director Dr. Claude Lenfant.
"They should have their blood pressure checked and, if it's high, ask
about adjusting their medication and whether they've made the necessary
lifestyle changes to bring it to below 140/90."
The lifestyle changes to control high blood pressure
are: lose weight, if overweight; become physically active; choose foods
lower in salt and sodium; and limit alcohol intake.
To help spread the word about the dangers of
uncontrolled hypertension--and what can be done about it--the NHLBI and
the NHBPEP have set up a special web site, which can be accessed through
the NHLBI home page at
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
They also are offering a variety of materials to help
Americans learn more about hypertension. The materials are:
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Facts About the DASH Diet*. DASH
is an eating plan rich in fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy
foods and lower in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol. It
has been shown to reduce high blood pressure. The fact sheet
gives an overview of the plan and a week of DASH menus.
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Heart healthy recipes* from the
NHLBI Stay Young At Heart Program, as well as special
Latino and
African American recipe books.
- Controlling High Blood Pressure: A
Woman's Guide*, which tells how to
lower high blood pressure. A guide in Spanish* also is
available.
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(Facts About) How to Prevent High Blood Pressure*.
This fact sheet gives an overview of hypertension.
- Special booklets series for
African Americans and
Latinos on how to prevent and control cardiovascular risk
factors. The Latino series is in Spanish and English.
- I.Q. Quizzes*
about the Healthy Heart and
Physical Activity.
These materials can be ordered from the
NHLBI Information Center, P.O. Box 30105, Bethesda, MD 20824-0105.
Single copies of starred items listed above are free; others have a
small charge. All are available free at the special hypertension control
web site.
Also, check out NHLBI's new
Achieve Your Healthy Weight web site. It can be accessed through the
NHLBI home page or the high blood pressure education month site. The
site offers practical information on weight loss, including heart
healthy recipes, and tips on how to make behavior changes, choose a
weight loss program, and shop for low calorie foods.
Finally, for recorded messages about high blood
pressure prevention and control, call toll-free 1-800-575-WELL.
"May is an opportunity to make a new start on a
healthier heart," said Dr. Edward Roccella, NHBPEP Coordinator. "The
same lifestyle steps that control high blood pressure also may prevent
it. So everyone in the family can take action together."
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